Top 10 best NJPW matches of 2021 so far

#8 Tetsuya Naito vs. Kota Ibushi for the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1)

NAITO vs IBUSHI is 2️⃣ DAYS AWAY!'He says he likes me as a wrestler and hates me as a human being... I think he likes me deep down.'Kota Ibushi on his unique relationship with Tetsuya Naito:https://t.co/xUStqHjfNi#njpw #njwk15 pic.twitter.com/dgjE8cQbEG

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) January 2, 2021

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 was built on the back of two main events centered on the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships. On Day 1, Tetsuya Naito defended the titles against Kota Ibushi. Ibushi lost his briefcase that he acquired by winning the G1 Climax 30 to Jay White. With Switchblade calling his shot for Day 2, Naito granted Ibushi the shot on Day 1.

The history of their epic clashes have centered on Naito and Ibushi trying to break one another's necks with brutal suplexes. For years, NJPW's main events have been intense, but Naito and Ibushi in the Tokyo Dome made fans feel they would see someone's life being taken on this night.

Just finished watching night 1 of Wrestle Kingdom 15 and what a show!My 2 favourite matches from the show was definitely Kazuchika Okada vs Will Ospreay and Kota Ibushi vs Tetsuya Naito.Love to see Ibushi finally get his well-deserved moment... but for how long? 😏 pic.twitter.com/p7MdA4BMKT

— Luke Paterson 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@SNIPERBRO2015) January 4, 2021

The bout started slowly, but quickened and went into borderline danger levels outside the ring. Naito hit a neckbreaker on the floor and an insane super reverse rana off the top rope. Things turned into a slugfest with both men trying to take each other's heads off. Naito got an amazing nearfall off his Destino that got the crowd on their feet.

Ibushi wouldn't be denied and wanted to be a god of NJPW on this night. His never-say-die attitude led him to hit two Kamigoye knee strikes to win the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships. It was a stellar closing to Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 and set the stage for the next day's main event against Jay White.